While Tokyo life may not be getting any cheaper, the city's appetite for great value food has never been bigger. Tokyoites love to eat out – a lot – and this has made it one the best cities in the world for quality at a low price. We set out on a quest to find the very best cheap eats in the metropolis, and came back with far too many eateries to include here. The spots listed below are our top picks, and constitute a complete A to Z of where to dine on a budget.

Some of the venues in the list below are very traditionally Japanese, but they span a range of styles – ramen of course, but also yakitori, tempura, oden, gyoza, monja and okonomiyaki, curry-rice, soba and udon, and even (you guessed) sushi. We’ve also covered a range of styles of places, from workmen’s caffs to stand bars, izakayas to traditional tatami-matted unagi grills, suitable for a wide range of occasions. What they all have in common is a dedication to serving excellent food at extremely fair prices. You'll find dinner for no more than ¥3,000 at all of the venues that made our list, and many of them do lunch for under ¥1,000. Because nobody wants Japanese food for every meal – regardless of how cheap it may be – we’ve gone for as varied a range of venues as possible, so expect everything from vegan cafés to fish and chip shops (burgers and pizzas meanwhile, each have separate pages of their own).

If you’re not sure where to start, use our map to see Tokyo’s best budget restaurants by area. So grab some change and slip on your scruffiest shoes – these are the best cheap eats in Tokyo.

The full list

The best ramen bar in Ebisu, in a side street out the back of Ebisu Yokocho. It serves dishes which are lighter than many, and attracts a hip young crowd who also appreciate Afuri’s sleekly industrial decor. Meal for two: around ¥2,000

A classic stand bar near Hamamatsucho Station, serving grilled organ meats along with cheap beer, sake and shochu. The stews start from ¥450, the tataki dishes from ¥220. Meal for two with drinks: from ¥2,000

Commune 246 is a collection of food stalls and a self-proclaimed hub for disseminating alternative culture. The slickest café is Antenna Wired Cafe, which serves unusual hot dogs. Meal for two with drinks: around ¥2,500

Buchi is a casual pub that also happens to offer great yakiniku, but for those on a budget, the barbecued organ meat cuts are a snip. The deluxe sampler costs ¥1,050 for 180 grams of varied goodness. Meal for two: around ¥2,500

One of a score of good and affordable late-night izakayas inside Ebisu Yokocho, Jun-chan is the first you encounter on your left, and specialises in dishes from Kyushu. Meal for two with drinks: from around ¥4,000

Take a few quick steps north from Kameido Station and you’ll notice the queue for this deceptively shabby eatery serving fine organ meats. Eat your fill from around ¥2,000 per person.Meal for two: around ¥5,000

This ever-popular neighbourhood izakaya in Tsukishima is famed for its gyu-nikomi – a soy sauce-based entrail stew, ¥500. Expect a long wait in the evenings as a queue forms. Meal for two with drinks: around ¥2,000

A proper British-style fish and chip shop, open 17 hours a day (11am-4am) on the weekends, in Roppongi. Expect to meet a few over-refreshed clubbers here in the early hours. Meal for two: around ¥2,800

Anyone looking to expand their meat-eating pursuits should check out this Yoyogi organ meats eatery that serves 40 kinds of fresh intestines. We recommend trying the liver with onion. Meal for two: around ¥4,000

This stand bar in Akabane is the place for piping hot oden stews and a glass of your favourite poison. The rich variety of oden ingredients gives you a wealth of choices. Meal for two with drinks: from around ¥2,500

One of many such places on Koen-dori (also known as 'Stew Street') in Asakusa. The popular mixed sampler menus are ideal for festive parties of three to four people. Meal for two with drinks: around ¥4,000

Well respected among those who prefer their giblets grilled and saloons cheap, Nishiguchi Yakiton is an Asakusabashi gem. Find your place by the standing-only bar, and dig into some juicy pork skewers from ¥100 per stick. Meal for two with drinks: from around ¥3,000

This shop's signature falafel sandwich (aka the ‘Big Pita') is a real gut-burster, filled with roughly-shaped patties that are fried to order, plus sauerkraut, salad, tahini and spicy sauce. It's a substantial meal. Meal for two with drinks: around ¥2,000

Not a restaurant, but a neighbourhood in eastern Tokyo that’s packed with good budget places to eat. For ten of our tried and tested favourites, read our feature. Meal for two with drinks: varies by venue, but around ¥1,000-¥4,000

Tsukiji offers more than just sushi bars with long queues. The inner and outer markets are home to dozens of budget cafés serving many styles of dish. Read our guide to the best here. Meal for two: from around ¥2,000

Cheaper still than the sushi joints or cafés, Tsukiji has scores of cheap fast food takeaways, selling everything from omelette slices to fishcakes to taiyaki. Read our guide to the best here. Meal for two: from around ¥1,000

If you’re on an afternoon stroll through the narrow alleys right by Oimachi Station, this classic standing-only izakaya will be serving motsuyaki, deep-fried ham, oden, dumplings and so on, all for a few hundred yen a pop. Meal for two with drinks: around ¥2,500